Automated cage cleaning apparatus and method

Abstract

The automated cage cleaning system is comprised of a pair of robotic arms, a soil side robot and a clean side robot. The soil side robot is utilized for removing the dirty cage bottoms from a cart, rack, pallet, or fixture, emptying soiled bedding from the cage bottoms, and placing the cage bottoms on a conveyer leading to the tunnel washing equipment. The clean side robot is used to grip the clean cage bottoms, and place the cage bottoms on a cart, rack, pallet, or fixture. Additionally, the present invention comprises an optical arranger robot with vision processing for detecting, and moving skewed cage bottoms to a re-grip station. From the re-grip station, the clean side robot places the cage bottoms on a rack, pallet, fixture, or any other device suitable for holding a plurality of cage bottoms.

1. An apparatus for cleaning animal cage components comprising:
 a soil side robot having a robotic arm assembly for removing soiled bedding from at least one of said cage components, and placing said at least one of said cage components upon a tunnel conveyer for advancing said at least one of said cage components through a tunnel washing system; 
 an optical arranger robot system for detecting said at least one of said cage components exiting said tunnel washing system, and placing said at least one of said cage components upon a re-grip station; 
 a clean side robot for removing said at least one of said cage components from said re-grip station, and placing said at least one of said cage components on a rack, pallet, or fixture; and 
 said soil side robot has a robotic arm assembly having a base slidably mounted and attached to a substantially horizontal track on a stationary mounting section. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 1 , wherein said tunnel washing system is a continuous driven conveying belt tunnel wash system. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 1 , further comprising a clean bedding dispenser for adding bedding material to said at least one of said cage components that have passed through said tunnel washing system. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 1 , further comprising an inline bedding conveyer wherein said inline bedding conveyer is located adjacent to said tunnel conveyer and said optical arranger robot system. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 4 , wherein said inline bedding conveyer further comprises an inline tunnel type conveyorized bedding dispenser. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 4 , wherein said inline bedding conveyer further comprises a receiving end and a dispatch end, wherein said receiving end of said inline bedding conveyer is positioned a distance below said tunnel conveyer. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 6 , wherein the vertical distance between said tunnel conveyer and said receiving end of said inline bedding conveyer is such that at least one of said cage components progressing from said tunnel conveyer to said inline bedding conveyer will become inverted. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 1 , wherein said optical arranger robot system further comprises an optical eye, an encoding device, and an optical arranger robot. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 8 , wherein said optical eye transmits a video signal presenting the position of said at least one of said cage components in a predetermined area to an encoding device, and said encoding device converts said video signals into a command signal suitable for directing said optical arranger robot to grasp said at least one of said cage components and place said at least one of said cage components on said re-grip station. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 1 , wherein said base of said robotic arm assembly is propelled along said track of said stationary mounting section via a rack and pinion system. 
   
   
     11. An apparatus for cleaning animal cage components comprising:
 a soil side robot for removing soiled bedding from at least one of said cage components, and placing said at least one of said cage components upon a tunnel conveyer for advancing said at least one of said cage components through a tunnel washing system; 
 an optical arranger robot system for detecting said at least one of said cage components exiting said tunnel washing system, and placing said at least one of said cage components upon a re-grip station; 
 a clean side robot having a robotic arm assembly for removing said at least one of said cage components from said re-grip station, and placing said at least one of said cage components on a rack, pallet, or fixture; and 
 said clean side robot has a robotic arm assembly having a base slidably mounted and attached to a substantially horizontal track on a stationary mounting section. 
 
   
   
     12. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 1 , wherein said tunnel washing system is a continuous driven conveying belt tunnel wash system. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 11 , further comprising a clean bedding dispenser for adding bedding material to said at least one of said cage components that have passed through said tunnel washing system. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 11 , further comprising an inline bedding conveyer wherein said inline bedding conveyer is located adjacent to said tunnel conveyer and said optical arranger robot system. 
   
   
     15. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 14 , wherein said inline bedding conveyer further comprises an inline tunnel type conveyorized bedding dispenser. 
   
   
     16. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 14 , wherein said inline bedding conveyer further comprises a receiving end and a dispatch end, wherein said receiving end of said inline bedding conveyer is positioned a distance below said tunnel conveyer. 
   
   
     17. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 16 , wherein the vertical distance between said tunnel conveyer and said receiving end of said inline bedding conveyer is such that at least one of said cage components progressing from said tunnel conveyer to said inline bedding conveyer will become inverted. 
   
   
     18. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 11 , wherein said optical arranger robot system further comprises an optical eye, an encoding device, and an optical arranger robot. 
   
   
     19. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 18 , wherein said optical eye transmits a video signal presenting the position of said at least one of said cage components in a predetermined area to an encoding device, and said encoding device converts said video signals into a command signal suitable for directing said optical arranger robot to grasp said at least one of said cage components and place said at least one of said cage components on said re-grip station. 
   
   
     20. The apparatus for cleaning animal cage components of  claim 11 , wherein said base of said robotic arm assembly is propelled along said track of said stationary mounting section via a rack and pinion system.